Sugar Law issues statement condemning Consent Decree

April 6, 2012

Watson and Kenyatta voted against Consent Decree

DETROIT -- The Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice representing 28 Michigan citizens challenging the
state’s emergency manager law issued a statement last month condemning
efforts by Governor Rick Snyder to install a replacement for elected
officials.The
so-called "consent agreement" proposed by the Governor “abandons the
rule of law,” said John
Philo, Sugar Law Legal Director.
“It is a transparent attempt to control Detroit’s fate whether an
unconstitutional law remains in effect or not.”

In
violation of the emergency manager law, Public Act 4, the proposed
agreement, which was approved by the Detroit City Council on April 4 by a 5-4 vote, would take effect without the approval of the
Governor-appointed financial review board. Moreover, it allocates
power over local government to positions never contemplated in the
city’s charter, the current emergency manager law, or its
predecessor.
Voting for the Consent Agreement were Charles Pugh, Gary Brown, Shanteel Jenkins, Ken Cockrel and James Tate. JoAnn Watson, Kwame Kenyatta, Brenda Jones and Andre Spivey voted against it.
“Either
the Governor and the other key players here are getting atrocious
legal advice or they’re ignoring good advice,” said Philo. “The
Governor’s disregard for his own review process is a travesty--it
shows contempt for judicial orders, the rule of law and democracy
itself."A
leader of one of the state’s key civil rights organizations shared
Philo’s outrage. “What is the purpose of having democracy, the
rule of law and courts if the leaders sworn to uphold those
institutions are the very ones who act against them?” asked Yvonne
White, President of the Michigan NAACP State Conference.Before
the proposed consent agreement was released, Ingham County Judge
William Collette had ordered Snyder’s Detroit financial review team
to start from scratch and meet in public. PA-4 received another blow
when more than 225,000 petition signatures were submitted February 29
to place repeal of the law on the November 2012 ballot.The
Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice is serving as lead
counsel for 28 Michigan citizens challenging the emergency manager
law in court, on the basis that it violates the Michigan Constitution
in several ways. Sugar Law is joined by attorneys with the Center for
Constitutional Rights, The Sanders Law Firm, Miller Cohen PLC, and
Goodman & Hurwitz PC on behalf of the National Lawyers Guild,
Michigan chapter.